CONSTITUTION 

AND 

BY- LAWS 



Wisconsin State Horticultural 
Society 



As Amended January 10th, 1919 



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The Wisconsin State 
Horticultural Society 



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Organized 1865 Incorporated 1871 



Officers and Executive Committee for 1865 
President: B. F. HOPKINS. 
Vice Presidents : One from each county named. 
Secretary: J. C. PLUMB. 
Treasurer: F. C CURTIS. 



Executive Committee 
Geo. J. Kellogg L. P. Chandler 



HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 

In November, 1853, a small group of Wiscon- 
sin fruit growers met in Whitewater and or- 
ganized the Wisconsin Fruit Growers Associa- 
tion. According to the scant records available 
this association flourished Until the beginning 
of the Civil war. 

September 29th, 18&5, a similar group which 
had been in attendance at the state fair held in 
Janesville met and organized the Wisconsin 
State Horticultural Society. The first officers 
were: President, B. F. Hopkins; vice presi- 
dents, one in each county named; secretary 
J. C. Plumb; treasurer, F. C. Curtis; executive 
committee, Geo. J. Kellogg and L. P. Chandler. 

For several years annual meetings were held 
at the same time and place as the meetings of 
the Agricultural Society and the proceedings 
printed in one volume. 

In 1871 the society was granted a charter by 
the legislature and provision made for the 
publication of the reports of the society in a 
separate volume. From that time to the pre- 
sent the society has been a ward of the state, 
receiving state aid in return for which it bas 
rendered a distinct service through the collec- 
tion and dissemination of information on fruits, 
flowers and vegetables. 

The society during its early years confined its 
efforts largely to the testing and selection of 
varieties suitable to our climate, an extremely 
important and valuable work. 

n. ofxiaj 

IWAh 27 «4^ff9 



The activities of the society have broadened 
from decade to decade through its more than 
half century of existence until it is now recog- 
nized as an important factor in the state's pro- 
gress and as one of the most progressive and 
active organizations of the kind in the United 
States. 

In 1898 the society established at Wausau a 
socalled "trial" orchard or station for the pur- 
pose of determining what varieties of tree 
fruits were best adapted to the then recently 
cut over lands of central Wisconsin. So suc- 
cessful was this work and so great the demand 
that during the following 12 years twelve other 
trial orchards were established, all proving of 
great value. 

In 1904 the society departed from the plan 
followed by practically all horticultural so- 
cieties of paying the secretary merely a nom- 
inal salary for nominal services and provided 
funds for a full time secretary and a central, 
permanent office. Probably no other step has 
exerted greater influence on the society than 
this. 

From 1896 to 1901 the society published a 
monthly journal, The Wisconsin Horticulturist. 
The records fail to show why it was discon- 
tinued. 

From 1906 to 1910 Bulletins were published 
at irregular intervals, nineteen in all, of quarto 
size ranging from 8 to 32 pages. 

September, 1910, marked the birth of Wiscon- 
son Horticulture a 16 page monthly journal sent 
to members and exchanges only. The member- 
ship fees and advertising cover the expense of 

1.3 J 



publication, leaving a handsome margin of 
profit. 

Early records show that the society was 
active in promoting horticultural exhibits at 
the state fair and it appears that close relations 
existed between the society and the fair man- 
acsment until the early eighties when a break 
occurred. Beginning with the 19 04 state fair 
and to the present the society has again taken 
an active part in these exhibitions, expending 
in one year as high as one thousand dollars of 
its funds for an exhibit of fruit. 

Relations with the Horticultural Department 
of the Agricultural College have been strength- 
ened and the society and the department now 
work in perfect harmony. 

In this brief outline much has necessarily 
been omitted; no mention has been made of 
the spirit, the soul, of the organization. A per- 
usal of the reports of the society leaves the im- 
pression that the courage and tenacity of pur- 
pose of that little group of sturdy pioneers who 
met in Whitewater in 1853 has been trans- 
mitted to their followers and has been our 
guiding spirit until the present day. As out of 
the oaken glades, rich bottom lands and rolling 
clay terranes of our state there has been de- 
veloped one of the richest agricultural domains 
in the world, so have the men and women who 
have had the love of fruit and flowers in their 
hearts kept pace through a half century and 
more with the progress of events and have held 
fast to the Wisconsin .State Horticultural So- 
ciety. 

Frederic Cranefield, Secretary. 
Madison, Wis., January 15th, 1919. 

[4 ] 



CONSTITUTION. 

Article 1. This Society shall be known as 
"The Wisconsin State Horticultural Society" 
and its location shall be at the city of Madison, 
Dane county, Wisconsin, where its principal 
office shall be maintained. 

Article 2. The object of this Society shall be 
the advancement of the art and science of horti- 
culture throughout the state. 

Article 3. This Society is formed without 
capital stock. 

Article 4. This Society shall consist of life 
members, annual members, honorary life mem- 
bers, and honorary annual members. The fee 
for membership shall be fixed by the Executive 
Committee. 

Honorary annual members may, by vote, be 
elected and invited to participate in the pro- 
ceedings of the Society. Honorary life mem- 
bers shall be elected by vote of the iSociety, and 
shall be distinguished for special merit in horti- 
cultural and kindred sciences, or shall confer 
some particular benefit upon the Society. 

Article 5. The general officers of the Society 
shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary- 
Treasurer to be known here-in-after as Secre- 
tary, and an Executive Committee, consisting 
of the foregoing officers and one additional mem- 
ber from each congressional district, a ma- 
jority of whom shall constitute a quorum at any 
of its meetings. 

[5 ] 



The officers aforesaid, except the Secretary, 
shall be elected, by ballot, at the annual meet- 
ing, and shall hold office for one year there- 
after and until their respective successors are 
elected. The Secretary shall be appointed by 
the Executive Committee at its annual meeting 
after the election of officers and shall hold office 
for one year thereafter or until his successor is 
appointed. 

Article 6. The principal duties of the gen- 
eral officers shall be as follows: 

The President shall preside at all meetings 
of the Society and of the Executive Committee, 
shall exercise a general supervision and control 
of the business and affairs of the iSociety, and 
shall sign all leases, deeds and instruments for 
the transfer, conveyance or assignment of the 
corporate property, and all contracts, papers 
and instruments necessary or convenient in the 
transaction of the business of the Society, and 
when necessary, acknowledge the same. 

The Vice President shall act as President in 
case of the absence, disability or removal of the 
President. 

The Secretary shall conduct the general cor- 
respondence of the Society and keep a record 
of the business and of the proceedings at all 
meetings of the Society and of the Executive 
Committee; he shall keep, safely and systemat- 
ically, all books, records, papers and documents 
belonging or pertaining to the Society or the 
business thereof; he shall countersign all deeds, 
leases and conveyances, and, when necessary, 
acknowledge the same. 

[6] 



He shall receive and safely keep all moneys, 
notes, securities and property of the Society, 
which may come into his hands and shall pay 
out or dispose of the same only upon such terms 
and conditions as the Executive Committee may 
direct or the by-laws provide. He shall keep a 
correct account of all moneys received and dis- 
bursed and shall render such account of the 
same as shall be required by the Executive 
Committee or prescribed in the by-laws. And 
he shall execute a bond to the Society, in such 
sum, and with such sureties, as the Executive 
Committee shall approve, conditioned upon the 
faithful performance of his duties, and for the 
payment and delivery to his successor of all 
the moneys and property of the iSociety in his 
hands or under his control; which bond when 
approved shall be filed with the President. 

The said officers shall perform such other or 
additional duties as may be required and any 
of the duties and powers of said officers may be 
performed or exercised, as far as is lawful, by 
such other officers, persons or committees as the 
Executive Committee may provide. 

Article 7. The members of the Executive 
Committee from the several congressional dis- 
tricts shall be chosen by the delegates of their 
respective county or local societies present at 
the annual meeting of this Society, or in case 
of the absence of delegates from such societies 
or in case of failure to elect, such members 
shall be chosen from among the members of 
this Society present from such districts. But 
if any district is not represented the vacancy 

[7] 



shall be filled by vote of the members of this 
Society present at the annual meeting. 

Article 8. The term "county and local horti- 
cultural societies" shall include any organiza- 
tion that shall have for its object the advance- 
ment of the interests of its members in the 
growing or sale of horticultural crops: pro- 
vided that such society acts by authority of a 
regularly adopted constitution and makes an 
annual report to the Secretary of the state so- 
ciety. 

Article 9. The Society shall hold its annual 
meeting for the election of officers, exhibition 
of fruits, and discussions, in the city of Madi- 
son, Wisconsin. Other meetings shall be held 
at such time and place as the Executive Com- 
mittee may direct. 

Article 10. Only persons holding member- 
ships according to the regulations of the So- 
ciety shall be members of it. 

Article 11. This Constitution, with the ac- 
companying By-Laws, may be amended, at any 
regular meeting of this Society by a two-thirds 
vote of the members present; provided that 
such amendment is presented in writing. 



[8] 



RULES AND BY-LAWS. 

Article I. — Membership. 

Sec. 1. The Secretary shall decide upon all 
applications for membership in accordance with 
the Constitution and By-Laws of the Society. 

Sec. 2. Any member maliciously or inten- 
tionally injuring or working in opposition to 
the Society or its purposes in promoting horti- 
culture may upon return of his membership fee 
be summarily expelled. 

Article II. — Meetings. 

Sec. 1. The Executive Committee may fix the 
time and place for holding the annual meeting 
of the Society, if the last meeting thereof failed 
to do so and may call such meeting by giving 
at least thirty days' notice to each member. 
Such notice shall be given by the Secretary, by 
mailing the same, postage prepaid, to each mem- 
ber at his last known address. 

Sec. 2. Notice of a special meeting shall be 
mailed to each member at his last known ad- 
dress by the Secretary at least six days before 
such meeting is to be held. iSuch notice shall 
state the business to be transacted and the 
date, hour and place of meeting, and no busi- 
ness other than that stated in the notice shall 
be considered at such meeting. 

Article III. — Duties of Officers — The President. 
Sec. 1. The President shall preside at all 

[9 ] 



meetings of the Society and of the Executive 
Committee; he shall, with the advice of the Sec- 
retary, call all meetings of the Society if the 
Executive Committee fail so to do; he shall ap- 
point the delegates to the meetings of the other 
State Horticultural Societies; he shall have a 
general supervision of the business and affairs 
of the Society, and he shall deliver an annual 
addre"ss upon some subject connected with hor- 
ticulture. 

Sec. 2. He shall sign and acknowledge all 
leases, deeds, and instruments for the convey- 
ance or transfer of the Society's property; and 
all other contracts, papers and instruments 
necessary or convenient in transacting its busi- 
ness. 

Sec. 3. In case of the absence from any 
cause of both the President and Vice President 
the members present, if a quorum, shall elect 
one of their number temporary president. 

Article IV. — The Secretary. 

Sec. 1. The Secretary shall attend to all the 
correspondence of the Society, he shall keep a 
correct and complete record of the business and 
of the proceedings at all meetings of the mem- 
bers and of the Executive Committee. , 

Sec. 2. He shall superintend the publication 
of the Reports of the Transactions of the So- 
ciety and publish or cause to be published such 
epecial bulletins on timely and appropriate sub- 
jects and such special reports of the condition 

[10] 



and results of experimental work in the Trial 
Orchards and Trial Stations as the Board of 
Managers may direct. 

Sec. 3. He shall present a detailed report of 
the affairs of the Society at its annual meeting. 
He shall endeavor to secure reports from the 
various committees, and from local societies, of 
the condition and progress of horticulture 
throughout the state and report the same to the 
Society. It shall be his duty to make a report 
to the Governor of the State of the transaction 
o? the Society according to the provisions of the 
statutes for state reports. 

Sec. 4. He shall be superintendent of all 
Trial Orchards and Trial Stations. In that 
capacity he shall supervise the planting and 
cultivation of, and exercise general control over 
the same, subject to the directions of the Trial 
Orchard Committee. 

Sec. 5. He shall engross in the general rec- 
ord book of the Society a true copy of the Con- 
stitution, Rules and By-Laws, and all amend- 
ments thereto and all resolutions of the Society 
and of the Executive Committee. 

Sec. 6. He shall keep a record book in which 
shall be entered the names of all members of 
the Society from its organization, the place of 
residence, time of acquiring membership, and 
time of cessation of same. 

Sec. 7. He shall notify all persons elected to 
office within ten days thereafter, if such persons 
were not present at the election. 

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Sec. 8. He shall keep a book in which a cor- 
rect list of the property of the Society shall be 
entered. He shall draw all orders, checks, etc., 
ordered by the Executive Committee or Board 
of Managers and countersign the same when 
signed by the President. 

Sec. 9. He shall keep a stub or record of all 
orders, checks, etc., drawn and delivered, show- 
ing the date and amount thereof and to whom 
and for what purpose the same was issued. 

Sec. 10. He shall receive all fees for mem- 
bership, and give proper receipts for the same. 

Sec. 11. He shall, before entering upon the 
duties of his office, execute a bond to the So- 
ciety in such sum and with such sureties as 
the Executive Committee may direct, condi- 
tioned as provided in the Constitution. 

Sec. 12. He shall receive and be responsible 
for the safe keeping of all money, notes, securi- 
ties, credits, etc., of any and every nature, be- 
longing to the Society which shall come into his 
hands. 

Sec. 13. He shall keep proper books of ac- 
count and a true and complete record of all 
business transacted by him for the Society; he 
shall keep proper vouchers for all money dis- 
bursed and shall render such accounts and 
statements of the moneys received, disbursed 
and on hand, and generally of all matters per- 
taining to his office as the Executive Committee 
may require or the By-Laws direct. 

Sec. 14. He shall disburse the money of the 
Society only on the written order of the Presi- 
dent, countersigned by the Secretary, and shall 

[12 ] 



make an annual report of the receipts and dis- 
bursements and furnish the President with a 
copy of the same on or before the first day of 
the annual meeting. 

Article V.— The Executive Committee. 

Sec. 1. The Executive Committee shall have 
the general care and management of the prop- 
erty, affairs, and business of the Society, and a 
majority of its members shall constitute a quo- 
rum. The President and Secretary of the So- 
ciety shall be President and Secretary of the 
Executive Committee. 

Sec. 2, Meetings of the Committee may be 
called by the President, the Secretary, or by the 
Secretary on the written request of five of its 
members. 

Sec. 3. They shall fix the amount of the Sec- 
retaiy's bond, the number of his sureties and 
approve the same. They may require any other 
officer, agent, or employee of the Society to exe- 
cute a bond and prescribe the amount and con- 
ditions thereof, and approve the same. 

Sec. 4. They may prescribe such salary or 
compensation for any officer, agent, or employee 
of the Society as they may deem proper, but not 
for a longer term than until the next annual 
meeting of the members, nor shall any "officer of 
the Society be entitled to or receive any benefit, 
salary or compensation for, on account of, or 
during the time that he may be absent beyond 
the boundaries of the state unless such ab- 
sence was at the request and on behalf of said 
Society. 

[13 ] 



Sec. 5. The Executive Committee shall have 
the power to remove any officer for official mis- 
conduct or neglect of the duties of his office. 
In case of vacancy in any office, either by resig- 
nation, removal or otherwise, such vacancy 
shall be filled by appointment by the said Com- 
mittee, but such person shall hold office only 
for the unexpired portion of the term. 

Sec. 6. The Executive Committee shall make 
such rules and regulations for the conduct of 
the business of the Society, not inconsistent 
with law, the Constitution, or the Rules and 
By-Laws, as they shall deem expedient and for 
the best interests of the Society. 

Article VI. — Committees. 

Sec. 1. The President, Vice President and 
Secretary shall constitute a Board of Managers 
which may conduct any business deemed neces- 
sary for the Society in the absence of the Ex- 
ecutive Committee. All bills against the* So- 
ciety must be audited by the Board of Managers 
before being paid. 

Sec. 2. Regular meetings of the Board of 
Managers shall be held bi-monthly to audit ac- 
counts and transact other business; special 
meetings may be called by any member of the 
Board. 

Sec. 3. The President shall annually appoint 
a Committee on Einance of three members, 
and one member of the committee on Trial Or- 
chards and Trial Stations, of three members, to 
be appointed for a term of 3 years, and such 
other committees as may from time to time be 
necessary. 

[14] 



Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the Finance 
Committee to settle with the Secretary and to 
examine and report upon all bills and claims 
against the Society which may have been pre- 
sented and referred to them, provided, however, 
that no member of the Executive Committee 
shall be a member of the Finance Committee 
aforesaid. 

Sec. 5. The Trial Orchard Committee shall 
have general control of the locating, planting 
and care of all Trial Orchards and Trial Sta- 
tions, and may visit collectively each orchard 
and station once each year or oftener if deemed 
necessary. Meetings of the Committee may be 
called at any time by the President of the So- 
ciety or by the Superintendent of Trial Or- 
chards. 

Article VII. — Miscellaneous. 

Sec. 1. The foregoing Rules and By-Laws 
shall take effect and be in force from the date 
of their adoption. 



[15] 



THE WISCONSIN STATE HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. 

Officers and Executive Committee, 1919 

Officers. 

President: N. A. Rasmussen, Oshkosh. 
Vice President: John A. Hays, Gays Mills. 
Secretary -Treasurer : Frederic Cranefield, 
Madison. 



EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 

N. A. Rasmussen Ex-Officio 

J. A. Hays Ex-Offioio 

F Cranefield Ex-Officio 

1st Dist., A. Martini Lake Geneva 

2nd Dist, R. J. Coe Ft. Atkinson 

3rd Dist, E. L. Roloff Madison 

4th Dist., A. Leidiger Milwaukee 

5th Dist, Jas. Livingstone Milwaukee 

6th Dist., J. W. Roe Oshkosh 

7th Dist., Wm. Toole, Sr Barahoo 

8th Dist., C. M. Seeker Tomah 

9th Dist, L. E. Birmingham Sturgeon Bay 

10th Dist., F. T. Brunk Eau Claire 

11th Dist., Irving Smith Bayfield 



BOARD OF MANAGERS. 

N. A. Rasmussen F. Cranefield 

J. A. Hays 

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